


Two return at the end of March

by JAKishu



Series: A bit different, a bit sad and a bit more cute [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Dark, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, Kid Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Multi, Powerful Klaus Hargreeves, Protective Number Five | The Boy, alternative universe, commission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:27:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26361907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAKishu/pseuds/JAKishu
Summary: Five isn´t the first one that disappears, during Klaus first special training in the mausoleum an explosion happens. They never find a body.
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy & Klaus Hargreeves
Series: A bit different, a bit sad and a bit more cute [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933132
Comments: 125
Kudos: 588
Collections: Finished faves





	1. Shit

Luther, Diego, Allison and Vanya are all that’s left of the Umbrella Academy if you don’t count their robot Mom or Pogo. Losing their brothers one after another had been cruel. More so when their father ignored the fact that Ben died on a mission with 17, that Five ran away from home with 13 and never returned or that Klaus is presumed dead after an explosion as they were 8 years old. Their father never told them what really happened, they might be strangers to the world but even they can piece together that whatever training Klaus had, got him killed.

After the third brother died/disappeared the others left soon after, except for Luther. It wasn’t so much loyalty but he didn’t know where to go, what to do with his life, only knowing their missions and he liked helping people.

Now their father is dead, they have a funeral like they are supposed to even when neither feels like their father´s death is a loss for the world. A sudden appearance of a blue light outside sets them all in high alert. Out of the blue portal fall two people, children to be precise and both look shockingly familiar. A thirteen year old Five looks down at his body and hands. “Shit.” Before he turns over to an eight year old Klaus. “Double shit.” Both wear clothes too big for their bodies. Without saying another word Five takes Klaus´ hand and pulls him inside the house and let four very confused adults stand in the rain.

After overcoming the shock of seeing their dead siblings again they follow them into the kitchen. They both had changed their clothes, back in the hateful school uniforms and Five is making peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches.

“Five what´s going on here, where have you been?” Luther asks. They all sit down and star at a quiet Klaus eating his sandwich and Five jumping around in the kitchen.

“Why is there no coffee in this house?” Five sighs

“Five!” Luther shouts and they all see Klaus flinch, he stops eating and looks even more vacant then before.

“Great job Luther, way to make yourself popular.” He turns to Klaus. “Please eat a bit more, you did nothing wrong, raising your voice doesn’t make anything right, understand.” Klaus nods and lifts his sandwich back to his mouth. “No loud noises while he is here understand.” The four siblings nod. “I went to the future, it´s shit by the way. And we have only a few days to prevent the apocalypse from happening. Who wants to help?”

Five had learned one thing in all this year’s, he will never succeed alone.

“What do you mean the apocalypse and why do look like children?” Allison asks.

Five lifts an eye brow, fine a small explanation. “I projected our consciousness back to the bodies that existed in this time. My conscious is 58, Klaus´ I have no idea how long they had him. Oh …” He remembers something very important. “Diego give me one of your knifes.”

Hesitating but seeing the determent look in his brother’s eyes, Diego offers one of them and with horror the siblings watch Five cutting open his arm and pulling out a small blinking capsule. Without hesitation he does the same with Klaus. It wasn’t so much the picture of an thirteen year old cutting an eight year olds arm open it was the vacant look in Klaus face as if he doesn’t feel a thing.

“I need to dispose them.” He turns back to Klaus. “Stay here I will be back in a minute, let them treat your arm.” Five disappears and Klaus returns to eating his sandwich, bleeding over the table.


	2. Mute

Vanya reacts first, they all too shocked to comprehend what is happening, she jumps up and pulls Klaus bleeding arm away to wrap it in a tea towel. “Someone get Mom, Five will need treatment too.” She puts pressure on it while Diego runs out of the kitchen to get their Mom. Klaus doesn’t seem to be bothered by it, he just finished his sandwich and looks around the kitchen, he looks into the eyes of his siblings but Vanya isn’t sure he recognizes them. Diego returns carrying the first aid kid, closely followed by Mom.

They know she is a robot but by her reaction seeing Klaus they all have a hard time believing that she was made by someone. “Oh my baby returned.” She hugs Klaus, wo goes stiff but doesn’t pull away. “Sweetheart are you hurt?” Mom takes over from Vanya and lifts the towel. “That will need stitches, I´m sorry.” She pulls out a syringe to get an aesthetic ready as Five returns.

Without stopping in his flow he takes the syringe out of their Mom´s hand. “No drugs for him. He doesn’t feel pain; you can stitch him up without it.” Grace takes the needle and starts with the stitches; Five does the same at his own arm pushing Vanya´s hands away as she tries to help. He lets her wrap it up but only because she doesn’t give him a chance.

Klaus, quiet and uninvited in the whole situation watches the needle as Grace closes the cut. After they were both done (Five ignoring Graces attempt to hug him) they settle in the living room. As they sit down Diego watches Klaus and sees nothing from his happy, loud, always talking brother in this lifeless puppet. “Five, what happened to Klaus, why is he like that. Where had he been? You said you don’t know for how long they had him. Who are THEY?”

“Fine, Klaus and I worked for the Commission an organisation that makes sure certain events in time happen. They picked me up after I spend 45 year in a post-apocalyptic world and partnered me with Klaus. He hadn’t spoken and I serve more as a keeper for him to control him and his powers. They got me because they thought I would be able to control him. They did everything in their power to break him until he was their efficient little assassin.” They stared at Klaus in shock who had decided to walk along the book shelf. “I guess he just stopped to talk one day. I don’t really know but we need to talk about the apocalypse. It´s more important, we can talk about our horrible past after we prevented it.”

“Didn’t you just say you worked for some organisation that makes sure certain events will happen? Won´t try to stop us?” Allison asks. At least one is thinking in the room. Diego is still watching little Klaus walking around the room, probably failing to imagine him killing a bunch of people and Luther doesn’t seem to really believing him. Five doubts that he would believe someone who was missing for 17 years and jump in the middle of a funeral. Sweet home.

Before Five can answer Klaus pulls out a book and takes it over to him. Five looks at the hardcover version of Vanya´s book. He pulls his own beat up copy out of his pocket to show it to Klaus. “Not mine, I have it here.” Klaus nods and Five pets his head before his little brother returns the book to the shelf. “Any way the Commission will most likely try to stop us, so we need to act fast.” He pulls out a glass eye and holds it up. “Someone who has something to do with the end of the world has only one eye. We need to find the company that makes these and find out who the eye belongs to. Best one of you act as a parent for me when go ask for the owner.” Five looks at Klaus. “And someone needs to watch Klaus.” Five sighs.

“Allison you come with me and Vanya can I let him in your care? I need Diego and Luther to guard the academy.” He gets a lot of nods. They all listen to him. Five is just amazed that it was so easy. Ok not easy but manageable. “Klaus can you come here for a bit.” Klaus walks over to him. Sometimes Five questions his behaviour, he never showed affection like that but this is the only way Klaus even reacts to him. Or anyone for that matter. Shouting, aggressive voices, pain, nothing gets through to him. He will just retreat inside his little body and whatever that is that takes his place is nothing he wants to meet ever again.

“Klaus you remember Vanya, right?” Vanya offers an insecure smile.

“Hi Klaus.” Five takes both of their hands and joins them.

“Klaus, Vanya wants to spend some time with you. Maybe she will read you a story. We have many books in this house.” Klaus nods ones. “I need you to stay with her, she is our sister, remember. She is family. It is important to work together. So Vanya and you, you two will be a team for a few hours. While I go asking a few people questions. You are not allowed to use your power, only to protect yourself or your family.” Five points at all of them. “That is your family. When they are in danger you protect them. No other reason is acceptable for using your powers. Be good and I will get you something.” Klaus nods, looks at ever face in the room and nods again.

“Ok ground rules. No loud noises, no shouting, no violence, no bad words, no teasing, no nothing that isn’t nice and friendly and calm or we´ll all die a horrible death before the world is ending. Understood.” Five sees fear in their eyes, good.


	3. A story

Vanya watches Five and Allison leave. Diego and Luther get the defend system of the academy ready (first use in their life) and Vanya is holding her little brothers hand. She still has nightmares from the day Klaus left with their father for his first special training. They all heard and felt the explosion hours later. As they came investigate and Reginald orders them to look for ´Number 4´ they already feared the worse. They couldn’t find him, they found blood and pieces of clothes but no Klaus, no body, nothing was left.

Now she has her brother back, two brothers but neither of them seems the same. Klaus is like a puppet, mute and mostly unresponding. Five changed too, he is strangely caring toward Klaus but cold, arrogant and an asshole to them. Ok he was arrogant and an asshole most of the times before he left. Living alone in a post-apocalyptic world had to change him.

“Klaus would you like me to read to you. You can choose any book you like.” Klaus pulls her to the book shelf and pulls out her book and her face fell. Of course it hat to be that book. “Are you sure you want me to read that book. There are lots of other books her, better ones.”

Klaus doesn’t seem to listen and takes her over to the sofa.

“You know as I wrote that book I was really angry and hurt. Not everything in this book is justified. Of course having powers would be nice but you guys didn’t have it easy, with the training, the missions and trying to please Father who saw us more as Experiments than children.” Klaus looks at her with huge green eyes, he listens and it makes Vanya to talk more. She takes to book and opens it. She doesn’t notice Luther and Diego behind the door listening to her.

“How about I tell you a bit about our family, things that I didn’t write into the book?” Klaus looks at her, he points at the first Chapter titled Number One. She wrote about them by their numbers. “So you want to start with Luther. We don’t really go by numbers anymore. Mom gave us names and except for Father or when the boys want to tease each other a bit we don’t use them anymore. It’s better that way. Being a number isn’t nice. We have names. Yours is Klaus and we all love having names. Ok but back to Luther, he lived on the moon the last few years. He did research for Father. I would like to see Earth from the moon one day but staying ab there for such a long time had to be lonely.” Vanya smiles a sad smile. Lonely like her in the small apartment, without her siblings or real friends but still better than alone on the moon. Poor Luther.

Klaus holds up two fingers. He really is listening. “Number Two is Diego. Our black wearing superhero. He likes to help people and at night he runs around the city and catches bad people to help the good ones. He is really good at it but his sense for justice is too just I think.” Klaus looks confused. “Diego went to the police academy to train for becoming a cop but when you are a police officer you have to follow rules and sometimes these rules stop you from helping the good ones. Or it takes more time to get the bad guys. I guess Diego doesn’t like waiting for it.”

Small hands take the book out of Vanya´s hand; he opens the book in the middle of chapter 3, where a beautiful picture of Allison covers the page. “Allison became an actress and she is really good at it. I know I wrote things like she only got the rolls because of her powers but even if that was the case in the beginning to start her carrier. Now it´s all her talent. She is really good at words. Maybe we can watch one of her movies together. I hope we can meet Claire one day.” Klaus doesn’t seem to know who Claire is. “Claire is our niece, she is Allison´s daughter but we can´t meet her now. Maybe when all of the apocalypse stuff is dealt with and Five things we can return to our normal life.”

Following the book, Chapter 4, Klaus´ chapter is next. “This is yours. I know it’s really short but I haven’t seen you since we were 8 years old. You smiled a lot, the house lost a lot of light on the day you disappeared. We hadn’t notice how your smile made our life better.” Her little brother listens to her but it didn’t seem to sink in that she is talking about him. He just turns the pages to Fives chapter. “Five´s is also rather short but this book was created by negative feelings and all of you who had disappeared left behind lot of good and bad but I couldn’t write those things.” Before Klaus can continue Vanya stops him. “Ben is … not here anymore and seeing you and Five back it makes me missing him even more.” Klaus looks up and fixes a point by the book shelf and looks back at her as if he wants to continue with another book. “So and the last one, Number Seven, that’s me.” She smiles and shows him the picture on the cover. “There is not much to say about me.” She didn’t want to sound sad or even depressing but it was the truth.

Klaus seems to disagree and stands up, first she wants to follow him but he walks over to her violin case and carries over to her. “I play the violin, but I am nothing special.” The case is pushed into her chest and she takes it. “Want me to play a bit.” Klaus nods and Vanya opens the case to get her violin out.

The sound of her play filled a silent house, Diego and Luther are still outside, they had listened and felt more than guilty. Vanya who they had always outcast had said such nice things about them. She told their little brother good things about them and all they ever do is dismiss her.


	4. prosthetic Eye

Five is driving, Allison isn’t sure how that happened but he is doing a good job so she isn’t fighting it too hard. Should they get stopped they will find some excuse. She had looked up the company that sells the prosthetic eye and they are on their way over. Something is worrying her physical younger brother and it doesn’t seem to be their mission.

“It´s Klaus, you are worried about him.” Five looks at her with an unreadable look. “Or are you worried what he will do. What exactly can he do?” She had wondered, his powers were useless for combat, at least as they were kids. Seeing ghost doesn’t help you fight crime.

“I am worried what might happen when the Commission decided to attack while we are gone. I hope we have more time. Not sure how fast they will start looking for us but if they arrive and attack we will have to dispose of a lot of bodies. They will send a small army to get to us and all this people will die.” Five isn’t sure he can even explain Klaus´ power, honestly he doesn’t understand half of it. He has some telekinetic abilities, can levitate but all the other stuff has something to do with his ghost power. A cold feeling travels through his body, thinking of the black eyes that had looked at him. Dark, soulless eyes consuming all living things in reach.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Allison points out. They reach the company, park and get out of the car.

“You wouldn’t believe me, that is something you have to see with your own eyes, and frankly I hope for your peace of mind you never have to.” Allison wants to know but they arrived and the word apocalypse has a sour taste, it is something that they should deal first before they start all the other points on an ever growing To-Do-List.

The first plan posing as a mother and son, who found the eye and want to return it wasn’t very successful, so Allison had to rumour the man to show them the files. She doesn’t really like doing that anymore. Considering how often she had done it since she had found out what she can do, its very ironic. Sadly the success of the second plan (rumour) wasn’t helpful at all. The eye isn’t made yet.

“What is our next step?” Allison ask as they return to the car.

“Waiting for someone to lose their eye and stopping him.” That sounds even in Five´s own ears weak. “Let´s return to the academy. I need to make sure Klaus is still alright. Maybe we can take turns observing this place.” Five starts the engine and starts driving back.

Five is worried about Klaus, not that he isn’t trusting Vanya to handle things, he is pretty sure she is able to deal with their brother but it is also the first time he had left his little brother alone since The Handler had taken him to the Commission.

* * *

_The day that horrible woman appeared in his solitude, first he had thought he finally lost the last bit of sanity, than that he is the luckiest person alive. It didn’t take long for him to see that he had made a deal with the devil._

_He followed her into a building with many people. PEOPLE. He hadn’t seen another living soul for 45 year and it was all just overwhelming. All the noises, the chatter everything was … alive. Five had listened with one ear about his job. Jumping through time, making sure time happens, kill a few people who are supposed to die and so on._

_She gets his whole attention the second she said the word brother. “What do you mean with my brother?”_

_The Handler looks at him funny as if he had sad something very strange. “Your brother, Klaus. You know Number Four. He is here working for us. And you will get partnered with him. You will make a nice sibling team. I quite love the that.”_

_“Klaus is alive?” She finally stops in her walking through halls._

_“Oh I suppose that is news to you. Yes your brother was picked up by one of my men after he destroyed that … what was it… oh right mausoleum where your father locked him up. You little brother lost control over his powers. That got a ping in our time line and we removed him.” Five is just starring at that woman who just told him his first real lose in his life is her fault. “Anyway over the year and after some of the training he completed her we have found it difficult to control your brother. He is a very successful tool. At least until lately I hope with your help we get our black reaper back.” Smiling she leads Five down into the basement pushes him through a door and locks it behind him._

_The basement has barely enough light to see every detail but living in a world without electricity or plumbing systems had made Five very adaptable. Someone sits in one corner of the room, he can hear that person breathing. The thought that his long lost brother could be that someone pushes Five towards the figure. “Klaus?” He questions. Thinking of his own appearance he continues. “It´s me Five, I know I look older but it’s really me.”_

_Five can make out a few details about the man in the corner. He looks around 30 or 40, he isn’t really sure. It´s not like he had lots of compression during his time gone. The man, Klaus, isn’t looking at him. He has his knees pulled towards his body, arms around his legs and his eyes hidden._

_“Klaus can you hear me?” Five knees down in front of him. He should be more careful, whatever the Handler mean about him losing control but all he wants to do is having one of his siblings back. He had buried most of them and getting one back …_

_The physical older brother reaches out to touch the younger brother´s hand. Suddenly Klaus´ head is up and black orbits of eyes stare at him. Hiding his shock and growing fear of what kind of creature they have locked up in their basement, Five tries to smile at the man. “Hey Klaus, I missed you. You know who I am right, I am Five your brother.” After what felt like hours but could only be seconds the black in Klaus´ eyes disappeared and the green return. Yes this person is his brothers body but somehow is there something missing or broken._

_At that moment Five didn’t know how true this realization is. How they broke his brother until nothing was left of the smiling and happy child. How they experimented on him (worse than Reginald) to make his powers stronger. How he was made to kill people, countless lives were taken by his brother. Five learned how only softness, care and a loving hand get his brother to do anything. He saw how his brother got hurt and no pain is registered in his body, too used to constant pain and suffering._

_The second these broken green eyes looked at him Five decided that they will get out of here, together. Whatever it takes._

* * *

As they park the park the car in the alley next to the academy, they find the door lock broken and blood running down the stairs. Slowly Five pushes the door open, bodies. Lots of bodies cover the hall. His siblings are standing blood dripping at the stairs.


	5. The attack

Ben Hargreeves is dead. That hasn’t changed in 13 years. Nothing about him had changed in this time. He is still here in this house, following his siblings like a shadow. What else can you do with your death? He isn’t really sure why he didn’t go into the light. It´s not like he can do anything, he can´t touch or talk to anyone. The most interaction with a living being had been as he was followed by a cat for several weeks. He is pretty sure the cat could see him or at least feel him. Other than that Ben is invisible at least until he saw the eyes of his little brother meet his.

As Five and Klaus fell out of the portal he had felt betrayed, just a bit. His two other brothers, who everyone thought were dead came back, as young as they had died. Now the whole family is back, except him. Be follows them inside while their siblings are still too shocked, watches Five help Klaus dress in their old school uniform before he gets changed himself. It was strange to watch them; they were gone for so long and hadn’t changed. After following his siblings he watched them change quite a bit. But that was wrong Five and Klaus did change, honestly Ben wouldn’t have recognized them, Klaus this mute puppet who follows Five like a lost puppy and Five, caring, making sandwiches, petting heads and offering smiles. It is all strange and yes Ben ignores that the world is supposed to end in a few days.

Vanya is telling Klaus about their family and Ben is listening. He had watched her write that book, had seen her struggle, her tears, her pain and her guilt while writing it. Ben is glad that she isn’t reading it to Klaus. Who knows why their brother chose this book, but Five has also a copy it seems to be something pressure to them. Thinking about it, Five said he had been alone for 45 year, maybe that was his only companion that reminded him of his family. The words are most like not really important more that Vanya wrote it and that is was about them.

She says Ben isn’t here anymore. She is wrong and right at the same moment. Ben nearly missed it but Klaus meet his eyes confusion written all over his face as if he doesn’t understand what she is saying. He points at him, at Ben and it hits him like a lightning strike. Klaus can see ghost, Klaus can see him and for the first time in 13 years Ben feels hope for himself. That he would be able to interact with someone.

Their sister starts to play the violin and Klaus relaxes into the sofa but his eyes follow him as he walks through the room. To test his theory he does pass the sofa twice before he stops in front of Klaus. “Can you hear me?” It´s no more than a whisper but Klaus nods and Ben feels his legs give up. He sits on the floor in front of his sever traumatized brother who can see and hear him.

Suddenly a crush stops the music and their moment together as the front door is pushed open and an army of black wearing men enters the house. Vanya puts the violin aside, take Klaus in one smooth movement and pulls him to the corner of the room. Diego and Luther have already started to take care of the intruders but the number of men attacking increases every second.

Ben wants to help, wants them out of his home, away from his siblings. He sees the fear in Vanya´s eyes and would really like to hug her and shield them from this. Ben looks down at Klaus who is hold in a tight embrace, Vanya keeps him safe with her body. Klaus turns his head and if Ben would be still alive he would fear for it.

* * *

That sound: Guns

These movements: Fighting

The Touch: Vanya, Vanya = sister, sister = FAMILY

The ENEMY: Destroy

Klaus fights his way out of the tight hold his sister has on him, Five said he has to protect her, them. He sees his brother Diego and Luther fight off the men with the guns. His other brother Ben is standing next to them but Klaus had understood earlier that no one can see him. He is a ghost, but a friendly ghost, no enemy.

“Klaus come back.” Vanya shouts but Klaus is already in the middle of the fight, he sees his brothers bleed and that isn’t allowed. No one hurts his family. Letting all his powers out isn’t as hard as it sound. His body was taught how to work a long time ago.

Klaus lift his hand and the first five man start to levitate in the air, their necks are broken a second later and lifeless bodies fall to the ground. He points two other men who had frozen in their steps, not able to walk pass the living room door. The fire hooks from the fire place fly through the air and hit the men right into their hearts. Blood splashes at the walls.

The child walks pass the door and locks them behind him with his mind, his brothers and most of the enemy hadn’t notice him interacting in the fight. A few ghosts walking around between them. Klaus makes them his servants and let them attack the soldiers that are fighting with Luther and Diego. His body is lifted up and he takes out another eight soldiers that had come through a window in the first floor.

“Klaus.” That is his ghost brother. “Can you let me help too?” Can he? Normally he bends the ghost to his will and orders them to do something. But most ghosts aren’t like his bother. His brother wants to help. He nods and out of the corner of his eyes he sees how his brother stands guard for the living room, protecting Vanya and helping Diego and Luther.

Klaus scans the house for the little lights he had identified as souls; he finds plenty, to make sure he doesn’t take out anything that he isn’t allowed to kill he finds each and every one of them. Only his siblings, his mom and the chimpanzee are allowed to life.

As he is finished he finds the floor dripping in blood. Bodies follow him the way down. He isn’t levitating anymore. There is no enemy left, no danger that means he isn’t allowed to use his powers. He finds his siblings waiting for him, no real harm done to them. His ghost brother is as invisible as before, no powers without danger. Vanya looks stressed out and as she sees him runs over to hug him. He doesn’t fight the hug. He likes hugs. Sometimes Five gives him hugs.

“I was so worried Klaus, you can´t just run off.” His sister tights the hug.

“I don’t think he was in danger Vanya, he took out most of them.” Diego tells her. Maybe he should have shared more but he let Ben have some of them too.

“Doesn’t matter he is a small child and shouldn’t fight or kill anyone. Understand.” Oh that sounds like an angry person. Someone is angry, will they hurt him … no wait this is Vanya. Vanya hugs him, maybe no pain but what will come next. Family doesn’t hurt you, family protects you.

_… is she protecting me?_

Better safe than sorry, he will hide again. Five will tell him what to do. He had promised to be his conscious, to help him. He said he will be back soon. Maybe he can explain.

* * *

Ben watches Klaus closely, he isn’t sure one of his siblings has even notice him. There were other ghost and the few men he took out were far away from the main fighting. He wants to ask Klaus to make him visible again but while Vanya hugs him and nearly shouts at Diego, Klaus eyes which had lost the black and became green again got vacant as if he had pulled back from the awareness he had before. Ben remembers the ground rules. No fighting, shouting or anything close to this.

He sighs, yes ghosts can do that. Klaus had woken up to fight and protect his family, now his family is fighting again and Klaus retreats.


	6. Return

Five feels his heart stopping for just a second until his eyes fall on Klaus who is safely tucked in Vanya´s arms. He jumps over to her and pulls her arms back to check over his brother. He seems uninjured, far better off than Luther and Diego by his first look. Still Klaus has gone deep under, again. Five had been happy to see him coming up just by being here but an attack like this would course it.

Turning to Vanya who has also blood on her clothes. “Are you alright?” She nods, the blood on her clothes is clearly second handed by Klaus. “Ok I think we all should get a change of clothes, Allison make sure our two suborn brothers get sorted out by Mom and meet me in the living room in ten minutes.”

Carefully Five takes Klaus face in his hand, pets his head. “Let´s get you some fresh clothes and a quick wash. You did a good job protecting our family.” These words didn’t seem to get Klaus out of his shell but at least his body isn’t as tense as before. Taking his hands he leads Klaus upstairs to the bathroom after a quick stop to get a new uniform. They really have to do some shopping after they sorted the Commission and the apocalypse out. Who wants to wear school uniforms all day. Maybe they can find some colours for Klaus. As a child he loved bright colours.

While Five starts a small bath for Klaus he pulls the blood soaking uniform from his brother. He hums a song that floats in his head to make sure Klaus is calm and relaxed. His siblings seem oddly ok with his brother´s power but Five doubt they saw everything, when the trail of bodies around the house is any indicator for it. It also seems as if Klaus had a tight grip on his power and control over it. At least it seems that way.

Five looks at his mute brother in the bathtub. “I promised you a surprise when I come back, right? Do you have a special wish?” Five has no idea what to give his brother, most times its some candy or some pretty objects. It would be the best day of his life when Klaus asks for something. While washing the blood off the tiny hands and face Five can see that he won´t get an answer today. At least the bathwater worms up the frozen body. He seems always cold but without Klaus saying something Five isn’t sure he can feel it at all.

* * *

Dress and clean their family meeting starts. Five places Klaus on the sofa next to Vanya. They seem to have connected. Luther and Diego got patched up by mom and look vary at Klaus. Something to expected after seeing Klaus fight and kill … ok slaughter a bunch of grown man in seconds. The last time they have seen him do anything with his powers was talking to ghosts. After checking the house Five is sure no one is left alive and that Klaus did most of the killing. There are a few bodies close to the living room that have strange marks on them but his brother used his ghost army as well who knows what they used to kill their targets.

“Ok, let´s start. Glad you are all alive and well. Allison and I didn’t find the person we were looking for but it seems we have a bigger problem than stopping the apocalypse. So when we want to survive until April 1st, we need to stop our former employer from killing all of us.” He has the attention of all of his siblings except Klaus who holds Five´s copy of Vanya´s book. Five had notice quite a while ago that his brother loves to flip the yellow and dirty pages. His copy has his math problems scribbled on it, he isn’t sure what Klaus likes on this book, he is certain that he isn’t reading it but when it gives him comfort who is he to stop it. It remains Five of children cuddling to their favourite stuffed toy or a pet dog or something. Only that they didn’t own toys or pets. Dad was against both for them.

“Ok let’s make a plan. We need to be quick, before the Commission can regenerate from the hit we landed today.” Together with his siblings, he starts to plan the attack on the headquarter. They will learn who they attack.


	7. Headquarter

Having one of the briefcases close by, came in lucky. The army that attacked them had one stored not far away. Five, Luther, Diego and Allison got ready to take on the organisation that wanted to destroy them and let an apocalypse happen. Vanya and Klaus watch them as they on to each other. Klaus hand is tucked safely into Vanya´s hand. She is glad her little brother isn’t covered in blood anymore but she knows should the Commission attack them again while the others are gone, Klaus would fight and kill again. With these black, cold eyes looking at his enemies to destroy them. He would control an army of ghost to help him and use blunt force to cover his path in bodies. She should get sick by the thought of this scenario but honestly their childhood had been to fucked up for that.

Five waves at Klaus who hadn’t moved on his own since the attack had ended. With a sad smile he opens the briefcase and together with most of his siblings he travels to the headquarter. Trusting that Vanya would take good care of Klaus and that Klaus would remember that she is family and that he needs to protect family. His system to help Klaus function isn’t perfect but it worked so far.

The plan was easy. Entering the headquarter, destroy all the briefcases, kill the Handler and convince everyone that they are to be left alone. Part one and two are easy, Diego gets a grenade and throws it into the storage room and Five pulls the trigger of a gun he had taken from one of the guards to take out his ex-boss. They get everyone working at the Commission together and Allison rumours them to forget about the apocalypse, the Umbrella Academy and their role in their boss´ death. They made one of the few people Five had liked during his time here to new boss, Herb, a nice guy.

After checking the infinitive switchboard they had all a lot to digest. Their father had lied (duh). Vanya was a ticking time bomb and Five is already starting to plan out how to get her off the drugs and who to train her. He wouldn’t train Vanya like their father did, that man should never have the right to be close to any child. They felt all bad for treating her bad during their childhood, ignoring her just because daddy told them she isn’t part of the team. They still have a lot of work to do, the apocalypse can still happen, but back to the Commission. There are also a new set of rules, starting with the stop of all experimentation on human and other living beings. Thinking about Klaus and what they did to him … he would like to blow up the whole building but it wouldn’t make him feel better. While walking though the labs Five notice the lack of test subjects. He knows after Klaus´ last freak-out they had a lot of causalities but Five thought they would get new ones imminently. Only one of the animal cages is occupied with a small black cat. It looks at him as if it wants to challenge him, Five likes it. Without hesitation Five opens the cage and takes the cat out. It´s a young female cat. Holding tight on to it he returns to his siblings who only wait for him before they can return.

“What is with the cat?” Luther asks as they get ready to jump back. The cat, purring in Five´s arm was happy to get out of here.

“I promised Klaus something when he is good, I intent to keep my promises.” Five holds on tight and hopes the cat wouldn’t run away the second they arrive back at the academy. “Please be a good friend for my brother.” He whispers into the cat´s ears. The others didn’t argue about the cat. Holding on to each other they land right in the middle of the living room.

* * *

Klaus sits on the sofa, still Five´s copy of Vanya´s book in his hand. His eyes are fixed on an empty armchair by the sofa while Vanya plays calming music to smooth the child in her care. She had tried reading to him but was to distract herself to concentrate. Music helped always helped her and it seems like Klaus is a fan of her play. He is smiling (a bit). Enough for her to continue.

As the others return they are one more. Vanya stops playing and checks them over for any kind of injury but they are all fine. Five is holding on to a cat, a very cute and small black cat. Five walks over to Klaus and gets his attention by taking one of his hands. “Hey little brother, I promised you a present right? This small creature here has lost her home and I think you will be the right person to take care of her.” Five places the cat onto Klaus´ lap and lays his hands onto the soft fur. “Taking care of a living being is a huge responsibility but you are not alone, we all will help you but remember she is yours. Yours to love, to take care of, to play with, feed her, train her to got to the bathroom.” Five doesn’t have to continue he can see the spark of life returning into Klaus vacant eyes. He happy to see it again. Sometimes he is able to make the right decisions.

Klaus starts petting his new pet, who seems to enjoy it. While the other talk about their findings, the successful mission they had completed and after Vanya had calm down they talked about how to get her to control her new found powers.


	8. Epilogue, Birthday and Ben

_1 st October 2019_

Against all odds, the world didn’t end in the last months, something that makes Five grateful and surprises him most days. It has most likely to do with the new (part-time) head of the Commission. It had come to a surprise for all of them as Allison offered to take the position to keep an eye on all of them. They figured the organisation is needed but letting it in Herb´s hands alone wasn’t working. The guy is just too nice, still a mystery how he ended up with that job. It´s working out fine and how a wise man once said: Never touch a running system. Allison has it under control.

They still had their problems, all of them; Five was not excluded in that issue. Living alone for 45 years and after that working as an assassin makes that to you. Still they got Vanya off her medication, very slowly and started training her. Soundwave are a very interesting power and very powerful. They figured out that channeling it over her violin was the best method to start but sometimes when she gets frustrated or rightful angry because of their past it is always Klaus who stops everything from exploding.

Their little bother is always with them. He sits at the side of the training field with his pet cat, watching them and when voices get too heated or the volume of a conversation doesn’t fit the word conversation anymore he would get their attention. Either by moving away and hiding somewhere or by going over to the fighting party and take on of their hands to pull that person away. The most fighting is done by Five, Luther and Vanya and it is always Vanya who is pulled ways, the other get a look that makes them feel bad, scrolled by an eight year old. Only minutes later they would apologise and have a civilise conversation with Klaus and his cat present. The cat hasn’t given a name yet, with Klaus not talking, it feels wrong for the other siblings to name the animal.

Today is their birthday, and most of them turn 30. As Five´s and Klaus´ timeline is a bit screwed up, they decided that they will keep the birthday. That will make Five 14 today and Klaus 9. It sounds right and even Five can accept it, he won´t get his 58 year old body back and no one knows how old Klaus really is. Five had thought about getting the documentation about the experiments that the Handler did with Klaus but he doubts it would change anything for them or Klaus.

Their mom made cake with Diego´s help who had started to look for alternative activity to his vigilanting (he is surprisingly good, they all get to taste his newest creations) and they ordered pizza for dinner. All siblings wanted to celebrate together. They sit at the dinner table, talking and laughing about Luther´s cake accident. Yes, it is very difficult to eat cake with a tiny fork that isn’t designed for giant hands. It feels like home and Five loves that he got his family back. Dolores had been right. He could achieve everything if he just wants to.

Vanya smiles too until her eyes fall on the chair that had belonged to Ben, they never sit in it. They all have their own chairs. “What are you thinking Vanya?” Allison had notice that Vanya got quiet, because they start noticing each other.

“I was just thinking that only one is missing.” Her sad smile is fixed on the chair. They all stopped and looked at the chair before Diego lifts his glass.

“To Ben and that we didn’t fuck up the world.” The others lift their glass, except for Klaus who points at the empty chair. Before anyone can say anything a blue light is filling the former empty chair. It doesn’t take long for them to recognize their brother.

“Hi guys.” Ben waves his hand awkwardly, as surprised as they are and not prepared to communicate with his siblings after nearly 20 years. He hasn’t ask Klaus to make him visible, Ben had figured out that Five prevents Klaus from going nuclear by allowing the use of powers only by imminent danger towards himself or his family. It wasn’t right to ask something like that form his clearly traumatized brother. Still Klaus listens to him when he tells him stories or reads that one book he owns to him. He likes that Klaus is seeing him and doesn’t make him go away like the other ghost.

“Ben how …?” Luther asks but can´t find the right words. Five is already looking at Klaus who is silently petting his cat. The cat does make a fantastic support animal, not that Five had intended it that way. It just happened.

“Klaus did it.” They look at their little brother, a fade blue glowing around his hands gives his use of power away. Ben stands up, by moving the chair back (on his own) he turns to Klaus and gives him a hug. Klaus stops stroking the cat and lays his hand on Ben´s body, returning the hug.

After that they all get a turn in hugging their brother. They get to celebrate together, all seven of them, one a teenager, one a child, one as a ghost, one changed by their fathers ape serum, one with new found power, one that will become a pasty maker and one new head of comment at the Commission. Had someone told Five a day before the Handler picked him up what would happen and who they all ended up on the same table he had laugh into that persons face.

After their dinner the siblings spend some quiet time in the living room. Diego, Luther and Ben play poker, Allison and Vanya looking through a child clothing catalogue to find new clothes for Klaus and Five, while Five pretends to read a book (he watches them all very fondly) and Klaus has his cat on his lab, petting her soft fur. They all freeze when a small voice starts to sing “Happy Birthday”. Five, like all the others doesn’t move, afraid that a slight distraction would stop the sweet sound they all thought they would never hear again. Klaus seems content with his pet and maybe there is still hope to get him back. Five smiles as he watches his brother sing and has tears in his eyes. He is not the only one. His family is all he ever had and after 45 years he got them all back.


End file.
